On Monday the process got easier to transport racehorses between this territory and the United States Virgin Islands after a memorandum of understanding was renewed at the Premier’s Conference Room.
Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering, who is the minister of natural resources and labour, and Dr. Fred Soltero, US Department of Agriculture area veterinarian in charge of Puerto Rico and the USVI, signed the document, which they described as “forward thinking.”
“This MOU was developed for racing purposes and it only involves equine,” Dr. Soltero said. “But it doesn’t mean that other agreements for events and species can’t be worked out.”
When transported between the territories, equines will have to be identified by a “permanent ID” such as a tattoo, and health records must be up to date. The animals will only be allowed to stay for seven days after an event to avoid breeding and other “complications,” Dr. Soltero said.
The MOU includes horses, donkeys and zebras, which can be transported between the territories for racing purposes only.
“If you develop a zebra event on racing, who knows. It is allowed because it says equines for racing,” Dr. Soltero said. “The intent is to continue with the racing association with what you already have here.”
The previous MOU expired “early last year,” according to Dr. Pickering, and the current agreement will need to be renewed in five years.
“The renewal process looked at improving the past experiences,” Dr. Pickering said. “So it is just an extension of an agreement with a more forward thinking approach to it.”
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See the Jan. 17, 2013 edition for full coverage.